Commission Backs Closing Hiram W. Davis Medical Center

A split Senate delegation left the state panel without a recommendation on the Petersburg facility's future.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Healthcare

Weathered rooftop air-handling unit and conduit on an aging red brick institutional building under a flat grey sky. — A state health commission voted to recommend closing the Hiram W. Davis Medical Center in Petersburg, which houses 23 patients, after Senate members split 3-3 on the panel. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should Virginia close aging state medical facilities even if patients must be relocated?

The Joint Commission on Health Care voted to recommend that the General Assembly shutter Hiram W. Davis Medical Center, which houses 23 patients. Senate members of the commission split 3-3, so the commission made no recommendation.

Why it matters

State officials worry that a major HVAC or electrical failure at the 52-year-old facility could force an emergency evacuation. Closing it would free funds, officials have argued, to expand access to skilled nursing care across Virginia.

Hiram W. Davis houses 23 patients in a facility 52 years old, one of 12 state behavioral health department facilities. Relocating patients for a full mechanical systems replacement would take up to two years, and the source does not say whether the agreed end-of-2028 closure date will hold.

The players

Joint Commission on Health Care

A Virginia legislative commission that studies health care policy and advises the General Assembly on matters such as state facility closures.

Hiram W. Davis Medical Center

A state-run behavioral health facility in Petersburg, Virginia, that has housed patients for decades and is now at the center of closure debate.

Sen. Louise Lucas

A Virginia state senator from Portsmouth who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and voted against the closure recommendation.

Sen. Mamie Locke

A Virginia state senator from Hampton who voted against the closure recommendation.

The details

Hiram Davis has had no significant upgrades since it was built and suffered short-lived air conditioning problems this summer, handled with portable units. The department's proposal would close the facility and place its patients in nursing homes or other skilled care settings, a two-year process. Sens. Louise Lucas and Mamie Locke voted against the recommendation.

This summer: short-lived AC issues at Hiram Davis were handled with portable units.
November 10, 2026: The Joint Commission on Health Care split 3-3 on the closure recommendation.
End of 2028: Agreed delayed closure date for the facility.

Industry Context

Closing Hiram Davis would shift patients toward skilled nursing settings, a move officials say is intended to expand access to such care. The split vote shows how the Senate's position on state facility decisions can determine whether a recommendation is made at all.

Patients at Hiram Davis and their families face possible relocation to nursing homes or other skilled care settings over the next two years. Residents of Petersburg and nearby areas will see whether the facility remains open while the General Assembly considers the matter.

The takeaway

The 3-3 Senate split means the closure question now rests with the full General Assembly rather than a commission recommendation. Patients' transition plans and the agreed end-of-2028 date will be the practical markers to watch.